Gasoline

FCA US Adds EGR to Pentastar V-6

FCA US has improved its Pentastar V-6 engine for the 2016 model year by increasing fuel economy by more than 6 percent and raising torque by more than 14.9 percent, the company has announced.

The new 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 will debut in the 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee mid-size SUV, and when added to the Fiat 500X compact SUV will be paired with rear-axle disconnect technology that allows the vehicle to operate in front-wheel drive for certain driving conditions.

By redesigning several of the components, FCA engineers have reduced the engine's weight. The new engine weighs as little as 326 pounds depending on the application. FCA reduced weight by four pounds despite adding 13 pounds of new content.

When powering the 2016 Grand Cherokee, the new Pentastar V-6 improves output to 295 hp from 290 hp.

The average fuel economy of new vehicles sold in the U.S. in December fell to 25 mpg — down 0.2 mpg from a revised November value, according to Brandon Schoettle and Michael Sivak, researchers from the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI).

The national average price of unleaded gasoline jumped 5 cents to $2.49 per gallon in the first week of 2018 and has reached a level not seen since 2014 during the week that starts the new year, according to AAA.

China is setting a deadline for automakers to end the sale of fossil-fuel powered vehicles as the country looks to reduce oil consumption and pollution and push for the development of electric vehicles. Regulators are working on a timetable for the ban.

The average national price of gasoline remained at $2.29 per gallon for the week ending March 27 amid discussion by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to extend a production cut by another six months.